The Twilight Diaries
by Arc Morpheus
Summary: DESIRE, HEARTBREAK, ENVY, REDEMPTION, FEAR, AND RAGE, BEGINS NOW Months after the tragic accident that killed her mother, Isabella Swan and her father Charlie, are still trying to move on with their lives. They start this with a move across country to Mystic Falls. As the new school term begins, Isabella is fascinated by a handsome and mysterious guy, Stefan Salvatore...
1. Chapter 1

Summary: **DESIRE, HEARTBREAK, ENVY, REDEMPTION, FEAR, AND RAGE, BEGINS NOW ~** Months after the tragic accident that killed her mother, Isabella Swan and her father Charlie, are still trying to move on with their lives. They start this with a move across country to Mystic Falls. As the new school term begins, Isabella is fascinated by a handsome and mysterious guy, Stefan Salvatore, and the two are not immediately drawn to one another. With Isabella not realising that Stefan is actually a century-old vampire. So, when Stefan's older brother Damon Salvatore has a run in with a certain Edward Cullen, an old rivalry between the two is awakened that could be the ruin of Isabella and Stefan.

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, The Vampire Diaries or any of their characters. No copyright infringement is intended. I only own my dreams and imagination...well most of the time.**_

**Bella's Diary ~ 5th October**

Me and Charlie drove to the airport with the windows rolled down, it was an unusually sunny day in Forks, Washington. We don't get many of them and the day we're leaving, the clouds clear and the sun shines brightly. So diary, you're probably wondering why the sudden entries after months of blank pages?

Well, to be blunt, we're leaving, me and Charlie. It was weird, almost as if we both suddenly came to the decision that we were in need of a change of direction, after the death of Renee (my mother), we both needed to put the past far, far behind us.

This also means leaving behind the people we had called family, Billy and Jacob, high school friends, not that I had many, but I would miss Angela the most. But it also means leaving behind the mysterious and alluring Cullens, particularly the one they call Edward. My life had taken a thrilling and rather terrifying turn because of them.

Edward with his porcelain skin, golden eyes with flecks of black, mesmerising voice, oh and let's not forget his supernatural gifts. But Edward is sadly impenetrable and also totally irresistible in the same breath. Up until the death of my mother he had managed to keep his identity and true nature hidden, but I realised that the closer I got to him, the more danger I was putting me and my family in. I realised too late to save Renee, but I had come to my senses the day I saw her lifeless blood stained body, lying in the woods up on the Olympic Peninsula.

So, it was from that gloomy, omnipresent shade of the woods, that I ran screaming as Edward was shouting and calling me back, saying it was not what it looked liked. But how else can the torn and broken body of your mother look, in the arms of a predator whose face and hands were smeared with her blood?

But, here I am at 07.30am on the day I am leaving this place forever, finally writing down my thoughts from that fateful day that changed everything for me and my family. It made me realise what it takes to be human in this world. Because it is only when you're human that you can feel the coldness that creeps into your soul and takes up residence, when a child sees the death of a parent. When you realise you can't lose any more family.

The Sheriff's office reported that my mother was attacked by a mother bear protecting her cubs, Edward apparently stumbled upon her body and tried to help her, hence the blood covered hands and face. But I knew there was more to it, and that's what I am running from now, I am turning my back on my home, my fractured remaining family and friends and the man I thought I loved, or thought I loved..

I am leaving to start a fresh life with me and Charlie, before it might be too late for us, too. So, Charlie took a promotion as Chief of Police in a small southern town called Mystic Falls, a typical sleepy American town, very picturesque, located in Southern Virginia. So the plan is: new town, finish High School and get on with a normal human life. No more supernatural bull shit...no more death...no more bloody Vampires!

Bella x

**_Stefan's Diary ~ 5th October_**

_Dear Diary,_

_Something is coming, I have felt a surge or shift deep inside._

_I do not know why I just wrote that, it's crazy, there is no reason for me to be upset but yet, at 05.30am I awoke to the feeling that something was coming for me. Something, in the air around me was crackling and different._

_I had not felt like this since Katrina in 1880, but Katrina has been long gone from me and as far as I know, she had never set foot in Mystic Falls since. No, this was different, similar yet sweetly different. I felt happy, is that possible? Me, Stefan Salvatore...feeling...happy?_

_Not according to my brother, according to him I was a brooding, miserable excuse for a vampire and he should know. We've been back in Mystic Falls for only a month. I have enrolled in High School as yet another distraction technique and Damon laughed and said 'No way Brother, you're on your own for that one', when I suggested he join me._

_So I'll end my entry here and see if my feelings pan out or whether I should go Daffy & Donald hunting, as Damon so eloquently put it._

_Stefan Salvatore_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 ~ New Home**

**Bella POV**

We finally landed and dad's cruiser was waiting for him at the airport, so much for a non conspicuous arrival in Mystic Falls. We threw our bags in the back and settled down for the short drive to the house that came with the job.

After the small house in Forks, we were both kinda shocked when we eventually pulled onto the driveway. The house was beautiful and three times the size of the one we had left. I checked the address again on the real estate documents, yep this was 2014 Maple Street, Mystic Falls.

If you thought the outside was impressive, the inside was just waiting to surprise us even more. After throwing our bags in our rooms, I called the removal operator and arranged for our personal belongings to be delivered tomorrow morning. I wandered room to room, just looking and taking in my new surroundings, our new home for the foreseeable future. I was glad that the house came fully furnished, as our stuff was going to look mighty shabby next to this place.

I checked out the kitchen, they had stocked a few basic groceries but nothing that was going to feed us for dinner.

Grabbing my phone, I shouted to Charlie that I'd walk to the local store for some steaks for dinner. He hollered and curse mumbled under his breath a reply, which meant he was busy trying to tune in the television to the sports channel, he was missing his game.

"Okay Bells, it's a quiet town, now don't go getting lost, the store is down the road and left at the bottom of Maple Street, opposite the cemetery we passed on the way in, you need me to come with you?"

"Nahhh, it's okay dad, I could do with stretching my legs a bit, Laters!" I shouted as I walked out the door, across the porch and headed down Maple Street.

The sun was beating down and there was a small breeze, nothing that made you feel chilly, just comfortable. A few people passed me on the street and politely said 'good day,' I smiled back and thought how different this place was to the town we had just left. Well, Mystic Falls and Forks were glaringly different, warm not cold, dry not wet, this was going to be a good place, a good place to start afresh.

As I turned out of Maple Street and onto the main road, I could see the local grocery store, it was next to a place called The Mystic Grill. I snorted to myself as I recalled the name of our local eatery in Forks, 'The Forks Grill & Diner'... ten out of ten for originality on that one guys.

I walked past the large windows and gazed casually at the couples sitting in the booths, totally immersed with each other, too immersed to notice a pale skinned brunette bogging at them from the sidewalk. Or so I thought, for the moment my eyes made contact with the back of a dark haired male, in a leather jacket swigging beer from a bottle, he immediately turned his head and looked straight at me. Then he raised his eyebrows as if to say 'What, can't a guy drink a beer in peace?' Then he turned back to his male companion and whispered something in his ear.

It seemed like slow motion in my mind, but it must have only been a few seconds, because I averted my eyes and dropped my gaze to my shoes. I could feel the blush spreading from my cheeks, down my neck and across my chest. What was I doing staring at guys in bars? I was here to forget about guys and all that stuff. So I shoved my hands into my pockets and stomped into the grocery store, berating myself for my voyeuristic tendencies and attitude getting me all flustered again.

I picked up a basket and started throwing aimless items that I thought we would need till Charlie and I could get to a Walmart in the next few days. I was in the fresh produce aisle wondering what to entice Charlie to eat with his steak, when I felt him there. A cold shiver ran up my spine and before I had laid eyes on them, I knew it was the same two guys from the bar, who I had so shamelessly ogled at through the window. I kept my head lowered and allowed my hair to fall across my face so I could sort of peek without getting caught this time.

From where I was peeking, I could tell one had a lean, flat muscled body. Faded jeans he probably had to peel off at night, tight fitted t-shirt with a retro design across its front and a black leather jacket, which was cut perfectly for his torso. His hair was wavy and dark blond. He wasn't tall, though. Just average height, but then again at my full height of 5'2", anyone looked average height to me.

He wore dark Ray Bans that completely covered his eyes, so I could not see their colour or mood, they completely shielded the guy's face like a mask.

The other guy, who had dark hair, was speaking to the shop assistant in a low voice, so low that I could not hear his words. The shop assistant was looking around and shaking her head, the boy said something else, and the assistant lifted her hands in a 'What can I say?' gesture. She ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head again, conclusively. The boy started to turn away, and then turned back, removing his glasses. Then when the girl looked up at his face again, her expression totally changed.

The boy's sunglasses were now in his hand, the assistant seemed distracted by something, she blinked her eyes several times and her lips were moving slowly as if she were repeating something over and over in her mind.

I wished I could see more than the back of the guy's head, the assistant was looking kinda dazed now and at last she turned and led the guy to the checkout, and whatever he had been asking for, the assistant passed it to him with some small boxes and papers. The guy wrote on them briefly and returned it. The assistant fumbled through the papers and then pushed them back across the counter at him. Her eyes never left the guys in all the time she went about her actions, finally he inclined his head in thanks, and turned towards the exit with his dark haired friend in tow.

My curiosity was running wild, wondering what had I just witnessed there? And why was it, I had a burning desire to know what that guy's face looked like? As he emerged from the store, he replaced his sunglasses, or mask, as I referred to them. I felt a strange feeling of disappointment flood through me as he did this.

I quickly placed the half full basket on the counter and advised the still dazed assistant I had forgotten my wallet and would be right back.

As I stumbled out onto the sidewalk, I could see they had paused a few doors down and were looking in the window of an antiques shop. I could see almost the rest of his face as he paused and looked in the window display.

His dark blond hair framed his fine face beautifully, almost as if he had been sculpted by Michelangelo. High cheekbones, classical straight nose and his mouth, was the kind that would keep you awake all night. His lips were also finely sculpted and looked so sensual that I thought for a moment what it would be like to kiss those lips.

Then the boy's body stiffened as if he had been jolted by electricity or a bad thought, and without looking either way, the boy moved down the sidewalk towards me, and then he continued on, walking right by me. It was as if I had never existed in that moment of time.

Although I was used to being a wallflower back in Forks, even there nobody ever treated me like I didn't exist, well only one person so to speak, but he was a … I mean he was a _Cullen._

I shook the thoughts from my mind, turned around and went back into the store, finished the grocery shop in ten minutes flat and then loaded it in two large paper bags and trudged slowly off back towards Maple Street.

Copyright © Arc Morpheus


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 ~ New Town Greetings**

**Stefan POV**

I was glad to be out of that store and back into the fresh air again, I knew going to the bar with Damon had been a bad idea, the pressure of so many thoughts and emotions around me, made me feel dizzy and sick. It had been years since I had put myself into that kind of situation, but I had to test the waters, as it were, and who better to do that with than my little brother, Damon.

As we stood at the bar in The Mystic Grill, Damon was laughing and throwing back a beer, when his attention was drawn to the window which looks in from the street. There was a shadow there, it looked like a small girl but the sun was shining so brightly it was hard to see clearly, even with my vision.

As Damon stared out the window, I felt the presence of a very strong and powerful mind, it wasn't anyone inside the bar as I had spent the last hour blocking all their mindless drivel. No, this mind was strong and had a very powerful personality. I knew that I would recognize its essence again if I were to cross it.

It was gone as quickly as it appeared, Damon made some lame excuse about getting out of here and heading back to the boarding house. That was fine by me as I was feeling tired and using my powers to block the minds in here was leaving me feeling, hungry, and that was not a good place to be in.

So we left the bar and walked down the sidewalk towards our car. When Damon suddenly decided he needed to go into the grocery store, I rolled my eyes at him and just waved my hand in a gesture of surrender. "Come on Brother, let's get whatever it is you need, grab some beers and head out of here."

As we entered the store, Damon went up to the assistant, Bonnie I think her name was, and started trying to convince her to come party with him back at the boarding house, but even his charm was wearing a little thin with the ladies of Mystic Falls.

I stood there trying to look as casual as I could, well as a casual as a Vampire and his brother standing in a grocery store full of mindless human beings could. As I was starting to ramble the Latin translation of my favourite poem through my mind, I felt the presence of that mind again. It was glowing at the edge of my consciousness and was prodding my powers, as if testing and wanting to find a way in.

I looked quickly around the store, at first I didn't notice anyone looking at us and then I saw her, head lowered, her long auburn hair hiding her face, and she was pretending to be choosing lettuce. No one, not even humans, stare that long at a lettuce!

As I started to concentrate more on her mind, I heard the words she was thinking as if they were being shouted across the room at me...

_His dark blond hair framed his fine face beautifully, almost as if he had been sculpted by Michelangelo. High cheekbones, classical straight nose and his mouth, was the kind that would keep you awake all night. What would it be like to kiss those lips, so finely sculpted and sensual looking?_

As those thoughts swept through her mind, I could see the blood pooling under her skin and flushing across her chest. It was taking all my self control not to roar out loud as my venom flooded my mouth. I could feel the familiar seductive feeling in my teeth, it was hunger, a very particular hunger. Then she lifted her head and pushed her hair back behind her ear and I could see her face for the first time.

Katherine! But of course it could not be her, Katherine was dead; no one knew that better than me and Damon. Still, the resemblance was uncanny. The dark auburn hair that shimmered with red tones. Her creamy skin, which always made him think of white swans, or alabaster, flushing slightly over her cheekbones and down her throat. And her eyes... Katherine had had the most amazing chocolate brown eyes he had ever seen, like swirling pools of molten chocolate. This girl had the same eyes.

I looked down, she could not see my eyes which were now firmly fixed on the back of Damon's head, I was blocking her mind as strongly as I knew how to and slowly, she turned her attention back to the lettuces.

I had to get out of here now, Damon sensed my urgency and he concluded his business and we left the store fast. As soon as we were outside, I made my excuses and walked off towards the car, eager to put space between me and that girl.

She was hurting, even through the blocks I had put up I could feel her pain. But at that moment I didn't care. In fact, I was glad of it, and hoped that it would keep her away from me and Damon. Other than that, I had no feelings for her whatsoever.

I braced myself and deliberately walked right on past her to my car and roared off from the curb, heading for the sanctuary of the boarding house and my room.

Copyright © Arc Morpheus


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 ~ New & Old Emotions**

**Bella POV**

After I had finished clearing away the dinner dishes and loading the dishwasher, I excused myself with the reasoning that I had to unpack and needed an early night after the long day we had had. The good thing about my father was that he never hovered or questioned me when I needed some time to myself. He left me to unpack and get settled in my own way.

I made my way to my room, I had not properly looked at it earlier, just thrown my bags in the door and headed out. But now, as I opened the door, the fresh smell of polished wood and clean linens filled my senses, it was a very homely feeling.

There were two large, west facing bay windows dominating the far wall, each with their own upholstered window seats. Between these was a huge cherry wood sleigh bed, which looked very inviting. As I looked to my right there was an elaborate Victorian mirror above a matching cherry wood dresser; to my left was a writing desk and chair, also cherrywood. Whoever had furnished this house had done their homework. It looked like every piece of furniture truly belonged in this room. There was a door to the walk in closet and also my own en-suite bathroom. _At last, no sharing._

I unpacked and stored my small wardrobe of clothing in the walk in closet, which I realised I would never ever fill in a month of Sundays. I finished putting my clothes into the cherry wood dresser and then picked up my bathroom necessities and went into my en-suite to clean myself up for bed after the long day of travel.

I looked at my face in the mirror as I attempted to brush through the tangled curls that had formed from nowhere in my damp hair. Maybe it was the light in here, but I looked even paler than what I had in Forks, if that was even possible.

Facing my washed out reflection, I was forced to admit to myself, that it wasn't just physically I would not fit in. But after the way that guy in the grocery store had snubbed me, what chance did I have at school on Monday morning? Well, I still had tomorrow before school started on Monday.

A few tears escaped and trickled down my cheek, I wasn't in the mood to let go my emotions just yet, I would save that for bedtime when Charlie was asleep and couldn't hear me.

I thought back to what had happened today at the grocery store, and wondered if it was just me, maybe I saw things differently from the rest of the world? Maybe, I just had a glitchy brain? But it didn't matter, all that mattered now was that Monday morning was just the beginning of a new start for me and Charlie. Me with high school and Charlie with his first day as Chief of Police.

I didn't sleep well that night, even after I was done crying for my mother. The constant whooshing of the wind around the house was strange to me, not hearing lashing rain on the roof made the house too quiet. I got up and dragged the quilt and pillow to the window seat and sat staring out at the light rain that had started to pitter against the window panes.

As I aimlessly glanced outside to the old quince tree that dominated the front yard, I had a feeling of something watching me. I caught sight of something dark in the branches and it moved slightly, making my heart shudder with fear. It was the biggest crow I had ever seen, it was sleek, with shiny black feathers. As I stared at it, I could clearly make out every detail: the dark claws, its sharp beak, the strangely familiar black beady eyes.

As I stared at it I could feel myself starting to flush, the heat sweeping over me in waves up my throat and across my cheeks. Because a bird was looking at me, the way sometimes boys looked at me when I wore a sheer blouse or worse, a skirt. It was as if this bird was undressing me with its eyes.

Before I realised what I was doing, I had stood up and dropped the blind, muttering to myself about bloody peeping toms. As the blind crashed down I heard the bird take flight from its branch, the whooshing sounds from its wings were as if a thousand crows had taken flight outside my window. I peeked around the blind and watched as it let out a harsh croak, swooped up and circled the tree twice before it wheeled away to towards the cemetery and woods beyond.

I dragged my tired body and mind back into my bed and snuggled down. Finally my body succumbed to sleep, it was well after midnight as I could hear the soft clanging of the town clock in the distance, and the rain had settled down to a steady rhythm.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 ~ New High School**

**Bella POV**

**Monday Morning 1st Day of School...**

When I awoke and looked out my window, all I could see was thick fog, and the memories of Forks started to flood in without my mind realising what it was recalling. I shivered and felt the sadness, the fear, creep up me. You could never really see the sky back there in Forks, and in some way it it was like a cage, keeping us all enclosed in its bars.

Breakfast was a quiet affair. I could feel Charlie's nervousness rolling off of him in waves as he checked and rechecked his new Chief's uniform, until his fidgeting was getting to manic proportions.

"More french toast?" I tried to break into his consciousness with food distraction.

"Umm, no thanks Bells, just more coffee is fine."

"Your first day as Chief of Police, do you have your shield, gun and oh, don't forget your lunch money!" I peeked over my mug of coffee, waiting for him to catch up on what I was asking him.

"I'm all good Bells. Are you okay?" He stopped fussing with his belt and looked at me lovingly.

"Don't start, I'll be fine. Me and new schools... we're kinda sorted. So, don't you have like a presentation today, being your first day officially on the job?"

"Umm, yeah, I am meeting with them... now... shoot!" Charlie grabbed his keys, hugged my shoulder and kissed the top of my head as he headed out the door.

"Good luck, Bells!" he hollered as he started his cruiser and pulled off the drive.

Me and good luck where not bed partners, it tended to avoid me at all costs. But being here, watching the sun break through the fog slowly, was improving my spirits. I cleared the dishes and grabbed my stuff and headed out the door. I didn't want to be too early to school, so I thought a nice slow careful walk to school would be in order.

It only took me about 20 minutes to walk the couple of miles to school. When I arrived, the parking lot was buzzing with people arriving and catching up after summer break so it was easy to mingle and just be part of the background.

I followed the path and signs for the school office, once inside, I took a deep breath and approached the desk.

"Can I help you?" asked the blond haired women.

"I'm Isabella Swan, I just transferred here from Forks, it's my first day."

"Of course, my dear, we have been expecting you. Well, everything looks to be in order," she said after checking my records. "Here's your class schedule and a map of the classrooms." She smiled at me fondly as she showed me the quickest routes to and from my classes, I smiled back at her as convincingly as I could.

I strolled off and found myself back at the front of the school, overlooking the parking lot. The roar of an engine caught my attention, and I held my hand up to shade my eyes to get a better look. There, crawling through the parking lot, was a sleek black sports car with tinted out windows. It looked like a lion stalking its prey the way it creeped along searching for a space.

The car stopped, the door opened slowly, and I caught a glimpse of the driver. _Oh crap!_ I would know that dark blond wavy hair and those shades anywhere. It was one of the weird boys from the grocery store on Saturday.

Officially my day was off to a bad start, I just prayed he was not in my year. He had a way of carrying himself that was rather regal, as if he was comfortable in his own skin. I could do with a bit of that myself. I huffed and wandered towards my first class of the day, History.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Stefan POV**

"Dear Diary,

A chipmunk asked me my name today, I told him it was Joe.

That lie...will haunt me...Forever...

Damon Salvatore."

As I re-read the entry in my journal, I cursed under my breath the immature behaviour of my brother, Damon. I could hear him in his room, laughing to himself about the entry he wrote, having obviously seen me hunting last night.

I flew from my desk and into his room, fuelled by the anger that he had defaced my journal in this way. As I entered his room, I found it empty. _Damn, he heard me coming_.

"DAMON!" I shouted around the empty room. I sent it out with a surge of power, then I fell into stillness, listening with all my senses. I could feel nothing, no ripples, no response. I sighed and returned to my room. Perhaps I had been wrong about hearing his laughter earlier.

I walked over to the window in my room and stared at the woods outside, but he was nowhere to be seen. I opened the window for some air and went back to getting my books ready for my first day at school.

A flutter of beating wings and a coldness fell over my room, I didn't need to turn around to know who had just arrived through the window.

"Hello, Brother, you called..." a velvety smooth drawl came from the other side of the room.

"The crow's a bit much, don't you think?" I tried to sound nonchalant about his transformation and use of powers that I had yet to master.

"Wait till you see what I can do with fog and wind, Brother!"

"What do you want, Damon? I have already seen your childish entry in my journal, so I know you have been following me again."

"Well, I couldn't miss your, what is it, your 42nd first day of school? You cut your hair? I like it, little Brother."

"It's been fifty years, Damon," I reminded him, as if he had forgotten.

"Thank god, I could not take another day of the '60's, all that flower power and paisley prints...that was a horrible look on you! Did not suit at all, remember to stay away from fashion fads and faux pas!" Damon scrunched his eyebrows together as if he was seeing a revolting image and then smirked.

"Why are you here this morning, Damon?"

"Why, you wound me Stefan. I missed you last night my little Brother, just checking you're all okay and first day nerves and hungers are all in check. Anything I can do to help?"

"You hate it when I do anything remotely human, Damon. I've managed to keep my _hungers,_ as you call them, in check, thank you." I ran my hand through my hair, trying to erase the irrational need to rip him to pieces for his earlier actions.

"What I mean is, why are you here...now?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Brother, but that would just be a waste of breath, well if one were to need breath that is. So I will just cut to the chase as usual. Tell me something brother, how long has it been since you had something stronger than lets say, a chipmunk?" He stood there smirking at me, but I could see in his eyes that he was being flippant but serious.

"I know what you are trying to do to me, Damon. Its not gonna work, so let's just get past this."

"Come on... don't you have the tiniest bit of thirst in there?" he asked as he ran his hand over his throat, as if he could feel my throat burning in a thousand flames.

"Just stop this!" I yelled, my voice cracking under the anger bubbling up in my veins. My powers started to tingle and I felt as if I would snap his neck in two if he didn't stop this constant barracking.

"Can you imagine what that delicious human blood tastes like, brother?"

I could feel my face beginning to transform into the monster I fought so hard to keep at bay. I turned my face away from him, not in shame but in an attempt not to rip his heart out.

"I can!" he whispered, taunting me.

"Stop this _NOW_!" I ran at Damon, smashing into him and crashing through the doors into the hallway. As I came down from my anger, I realised he was not in my hands at all. He moved so swiftly, I had missed him completely.

"I am impressed. I give it a six for effort. Missing style, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good with the whole monster face- thing. It was good, on the whole."

"You know, it's always been just fun and games, Damon, huh? But wherever you go, people die, you leave a trail of death and destruction in your wake."

"Well, well, a compliment from you so early in the day, brother? Why, I am honored... but it's a moot point in my books."

"Not here Damon, not now. Everytime I get some sort of peace in my existence, you start... ruining it."

"Are you throwing down a gauntlet, Brother? It certainly sounds like one to me." Damon flashed across the room, grabbed my throat and threw my body against the wall in a split second. Holding me there, his voice was low and menacing.

"You should know better than to think you're stronger than me. You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people. I wouldn't try it again, now run along, you'll be late for class. Don't want you snacking on the teachers to get out of detention early." He released my throat and then, in a swoosh of feathers, he transformed and flew out of the window.

I grabbed my keys and shades and headed for my car, damn him and his theatrics, now I was going to have to rush to class. And I hated being rushed!

_Evil will never find peace. It may triumph, but it will never find peace._

The words of my old tutor seemed to be stuck in my mind as I started my car and headed off to school.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Bella POV**

Monday afternoon, Last Period English...

I made my way to my last class of the day. So far no major drama had occurred, the girls seemed nice enough, a few of them even friendly. The boys, well, they were the proverbial bees around the new girl honey pot, harmless but persistent.

The classroom was small, but felt comfortable. The teacher was a balding man, Mr Clarke. He took my class slip and waved me to the only empty seat left which was at the back of the class. At least he didn't hover and introduce me as all the previous teachers had today. I flushed tomato red as the memories of this morning's history class flooded my mind.

I scanned over the reading list attached to the class, and was glad to see my favourites there: Bronte, Shakespeare, Faulkner and Chaucer. Just reading their names brought a wave of comfort, as the classics always did for me.

As Mr Clarke started reeling off today's exercise and scraping the chalk across the board, making all our teeth on edge, I glanced around at the rest of the class. From the back of the room at least I wasn't the centre of attention. I recognised his profile and blond wavy hair, he had his head down, scribbling down notes. It was nice to be able watch him. I found myself daydreaming about what colour his eyes where and whether he'd ever look at me the way he was looking at that piece of paper in front of him. I don't know how long I was staring, time seemed to stop and play in slow motion.

As I continued my slow assessment, suddenly I realised I was staring directly at his beautiful mouth. He had turned his head slightly to the side and was then looking directly at me, my eyes were still being fixated by his sculptured lips and then my mind went blank as if a wave of calmness had washed over me. I couldn't even seem to recall what I was doing, I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out, so I shut it abruptly and continued staring.

Next thing I knew, the bell for end of school sounded, and everybody was up out of their chairs at once. I had the most ridiculous urge to start giggling, but fought the urge and instead snapped my attention back to collecting up my books and stuffing them into my bag. I could feel my cheeks and neck getting warmer from being caught red handed eye fucking him. I stumbled over my words and somehow I managed to say, "Hi, I am Isabella Swan, well Bella actually, and I..."

"I am sorry, I don't have time for this!" For a moment I couldn't believe he was speaking to me, but then his words registered in my mind and I found myself looking around at the other students who were whispering, smirking and then nodding in my direction. Not in a kind way either, more 'why was I even talking to someone so out of my league and totally their league'.

I could feel the numbness spreading through my body, and a fullness starting in my throat, then the tingling and blurred vision as tears threatened to spill down my cheeks. I couldn't stand being in this room for one more second near him. I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, shot him a look that basically read as _Drop Dead Asshole, _and walked as quickly as I could out of the classroom, heading for the safety of open spaces and faces of people who didn't matter.

By the time I had reached my locker, the numbness of what just happened was beginning to wear off, and the lump in my throat was trying to push up and dissolve me into tears. _But I would not do that here,_ I told myself, _I wouldn't_!

I threw my stuff in and slammed the door closed, trying harder and harder to block the anger and humiliation that were competing to fill me up. I made my way as fast as humanly possible through the main doors, down the steps and started the short walk home. For some unknown reason, my tears seemed to be directly wired to my temper, a humiliating tendency I wished I could control.

Head down, shoulders slumped as low as I could possibly make them, I made my way through the throngs of happy smiling students. I did not look up again until I knew I was alone on the street. I slowed as I approached the wrought iron gates of Mystic Falls Cemetery, coming to a full stop when I reached them, I looked up at them and then, without so much as a second thought, I pushed the small side gate open and entered. I immediately was drawn to the quiet, calming grounds and beauty of the trees. I trundled through and saw in front of me a very old oak that probably had been there for hundreds of years. This was where I settled myself and finally let go of the tears I could no longer hold back.

I was glad of the stillness around me because I wanted to be alone right now, but, there was a part of me, just a small part, that wished it were not the case. Everything inside of me today was contradictory. I didn't want company, but part of me was achingly lonely, the tears started to slow and I tried to concentrate on what I had done to annoy or anger him enough to respond in the manner that he had. But my thoughts were eluding me like a deer running from its predator.

My tears finally subsided, leaving my eyes swollen... _and what for?_ I asked myself. Were my tears falling out of my anger, or my humiliation and emotional frustration... or something else entirely?

_What had I really lost today? Why did I feel so strongly towards this stranger? _ He was challenging, yes, and that made him different from all the others, darkly interesting. He was exotic... exciting.

Only one other had ever had that effect on me and I wouldn't even think his name, let alone say it, out loud. The memories were just too raw.

But when I spoke to, _damn, I didn't even get his name_, my pulse had started to race, my knees had felt weak, and there weren't butterflies in my stomach. No, instead there had been big flapping bats.

I tried to rationalize my actions. _So, I was interested in a guy cause he makes me nervous?_ As I thought this, I knew it was not a good reason to get to know someone, actually it was a very, very bad reason.

But, all I could think of was his sculptured mouth, that made my knees go weak, not out of nervousness, but a whole different nervousness. His dark blond hair - my fingers itched to weave themselves into it to feel the softness. His lithe, flat-muscled body, those long legs...and finally, that voice. His voice had been cool, curt and disdainful, but strangely compelling for all that, to me. I started to imagine how it would sound saying my name, whispering my name to me into my ear as his lips brushed...

"_Isabella._..?" a strange voice spoke in the air surrounding her.

I jumped, my reverie shattered, but it wasn't my dark exotic blond boy from class. I was totally alone, leaning back against the old oak as I scanned the surrounding area. This part of the cemetery was well kept, with the odd section allowed to run wild here and there. I curled my legs up under me tighter and just stared around me, I could have sworn I had heard my name being called.

"Who's there?" I called out, but no reply came, just a cool breeze blowing through the wildflowers in the long grass. The shadows were getting longer and the wind had a sombre chill to it now.

A strong gust of wind blew through the cemetery, fanning my hair around my face and sending all the dry leaves scuttling around me on the ground. I got to my feet and looked all around again, then laughed nervously to myself. It was starting to get dark very quickly. I knew I had better head for home since with the sun going down, the temperature was dropping fast. The rising wind didn't make me feel at ease either, it was like it was whispering through the grass and made the ancient oak I was standing under rattle its leaves almost threateningly.

I began to make my way back through the cemetery, not realising how far I had travelled in my distressed state. It was full on dusk and the moon had yet to rise, and all around me the trees and stones had taken on an eerie bluish colour. I passed old stones that had brambles and weeds swarming over the crumbling marble. I suddenly did not feel comfortable here and quickened my pace.

Further down the path, towards the main entrance, I thought I would start to feel better, seeing the lights of the town start to come on one by one, but I didn't. I could see the gates and as I neared them, my whole heart started to beat faster. I tried to ignore it, but my skin was tingling with an awareness and all the fine hairs on my arms and neck were standing on end. The gusts of wind seemed to magnify every sound around me, the crunching of the gravel and leaves on the path were deafening.

I could just make out a silhouette of a tomb in front of me and knew I was nearly to the main gates. The path twisted between the lichen-encrusted tombstones, many of them taller than me. _How had I not noticed all this on the way in here? _ _Big enough,_ my brain thought, _for someone to hide behind? _I berated myself for even letting myself slip that stupid thought into my subconscious.

Fear was beginning to bubble up in my stomach, wash through my body and mix with my senses. I started running for the gates. That's when I heard it again, the whispering wind.

"_Isabella..." _The voice called, and added_ " there's someone waiting for you out there?"_

I couldn't recall exactly what happened next, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move among the dark shapes of the headstones, shifting and rising between them incredibly faster than any human could. I could feel the scream building in my throat and I tried to push it down with all my might, but it won the battle and fought its way out past my lips.

I pounded down the path, stumbling on grass and gravel, I was sobbing for breath and panting wildly. Then from behind me came a sudden thrashing and shrieking. It was coming from the old oak tree I had been sitting under, and suddenly I found I could run a whole lot faster.

There was _something_ behind me, I didn't know _how,_ but I knew if I made it to the gates and onto the street, I would be safe. My legs started wobbling and my throat was throbbing as I gasped for more breath, the gate was fifteen feet away, ten feet away, five.

I made it. I wrenched the wrought iron gate open, it creaked loudly as I ran through and slammed it shut behind me. I stumbled to a halt under the first street lamp, thankful for the comforting silver gleam of light after the darkness of the cemetery. I bent over, hands on my thighs, deeply breathing and still sobbing.

"Excuse me, Miss, are you alright?" I heard a melodic deep voice speak above me.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and straightened up to see who had spoken. The cold breath that had crept over my skin was gone, but my body was still shaking. I wet my dry lips and laughed at the simple, innocent question being asked of me.

"Uummmm...Yeah, no I mean. I just kinda spooked myself back there," I explained as I waved my hands towards the cemetery gates.

The man stepped out of the shadows and tilted his head to one side, he had deep penetrating green eyes, then he smirked and walked over to the cemetery gates and peered through into the darkness.

"You know, I don't see a thing back there out of place, looks mighty quiet and peaceful?" He looked over at me as if trying to gauge my mental state. His eyes seemed to have a penetrating gaze to them.

"Maybe I just panicked and scared myself with my over active imagination, girls are kinda known for that sort of thing."

"I can imagine they are. Well, as long as you're alright now, can I at least escort you to your home? A lady should not be out alone after dark." His lips kinda curled at the ends as if he were holding back a personal joke or another of those sexy smirks. He held the crook of his arm out to me in a very otherworldly and gentlemanly manner.

I stared at him and then simply nodded, but deep inside my mind, the cogs were turning and wondering deeply about this man, then realised I had been staring at him for an embarrassingly long time.

"Sure, my name's Isabella, but I prefer people to call me Bella. By the way, my house is on Maple Street, not very far, I hope it's not out of your way," I said as I slipped my hand onto his arm and started walking towards my home.

He looked at me and I watched that smile spread across his face. It was like watching the moon rise on a frosty night, simply dazzling.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Isabella, my name is Damon, Damon Salvatore, and I can assure you the pleasure is going to be all mine!" He laughed a soft enchanting laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Stefan's POV**

_Dear Diary,_

_They used to call it the witching hour, that time in the middle of the night when all the humans are safely tucked into their beds, and only us creatures of the night can hear the thrum of their heart beats, smell their blood and watch their dreams unfold. It's the time when I am most eager to feed, but I must hold the monster inside me back. _

_Because only by holding myself back, and denying my true thirst, can I plot my destiny and path. I can hold the darkness at bay, I can control my Power._

_How close I came to ending all my suffering and denial, tonight in the cemetery, my power came so close to reconnecting me with my inner darkness. Of all the places I could have gone to hunt and purge my body and mind of her scent, the family crypt had always been a secret haven for me, but tonight it was my prison of torment!_

_Stefan Salvatore._

* * *

By the time I had reached the sanctuary of my room, I was reeling from the fatigue and also the glut of blood running through my body. It had been a long while since I had given into my hunger and fed so heavily.

But the power of my inner monster had caught me unprepared, it had spun my mind into a frenzy, shattering what little control I had. I still wasn't sure where the power had come from. I had wandered from the woods blindly into the cemetery, pulled by a force I did not understand but obeyed. I had been brooding in the Salvatore crypt, running through the day's events, trying to make sense of everything. I found that she remained in my thoughts, despite all my efforts to banish her, along with the images that accompanied them.

How long I sat there, I do not know. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of soft footsteps approaching so I slipped from the crypt and watched from the shadows as the girl from class stumbled her way to the old oak at the back of the oldest part of the cemetery. She then threw her bags down and slumped against the tree, shoulders rounded, head in her hands, sobbing.

As I watched her, I saw something black moving in the woods behind the oak, but even my vampire senses could not make out exactly what it was. I could feel a power coming from this shapeless thing, and as I watched the human more closely, I realized she was totally unaware of its presence.

I suddenly felt fear for this girl, but also the desire was building in me to discover more of what this power was and find the source of it. In the end, however, I kept watch on her because there was a part of me that was unable to chance her getting hurt.

I watched her head snap up and she called out, "Who's there?"

Surely she could not have seen or sensed my presence from the shadows where I was cloaked? Could she smell me? Impossible! I pressed myself against the cold granite of the crypt walls and froze. Before I had time to react, she had sprung to her feet and was running towards the main gates, the smell of fear and panic on her skin lingering on the wind.

I felt the surge of power coming from the old oak and woods behind her and knew this is what had caused her to flee from here in fear and not me. The downside to this surge was that it had awakened things inside me best left sleeping. The hunting need, the craving for the thrill of the chase, for the smell of fear and the savage triumph of the kill. It had been centuries since I had felt the need with such force. My veins started to burn like fire, and my thoughts were shaded in red: I could think of nothing else but what her blood would taste like on my tongue, the vibrancy of her blood flowing in me.

With only that thought raging through my mind, I started to take a step towards the girl. As I started to follow her, I happened upon a scent, human blood, the ultimate elixir, my forbidden wine. It was more intoxicating than anything, it was the steaming essence of life itself...and I was so tired of fighting my need.

Behind one of the tombstones there had been a movement, in the next instant I had sprung and landed gracefully, catlike, beside him. He looked from my eyes to my lips which were drawn back over my teeth... and then there was no sound but that of me feeding.

As I paced around my room, I tried not to think about it, and not to think about her... about this girl who tempted me with her warmth, her life. She was the one I truly desired tonight and it was not just her uncanny resemblance to Katrina, no, it was much more than that. I knew that I had to stop this before it started, I had to kill all such thoughts before they grew stronger. Not just for my sake, but for hers too. I was her darkest and worst nightmares all rolled into one, and she didn't even know it.

I fell onto my bed, usually I rested uneasy at night; it was not my natural sleeping time. But tonight the fatigue won, I had used a lot of energy today at school avoiding her, and the heavy meal only contributed to my tiredness. Soon, although my eyes never close, I no longer saw the room around me and I slept.

I awoke sitting bolt upright on my bed, my hands were shaking and my breath was ragged. It had been a long time since I had dreamed that dream, actually a long time since I had had any dreams. I played the last few seconds over and over in my mind, and saw again the oak tree and cemetery and heard this time, not a voice, but a cold callous laughter. My brother's laughter!

It was echoing around my mind, clearly, too clearly. Suddenly, without being aware of a conscious decision to move, I found myself out of bed and across the room at my open window, looking out into the moonlit woods that surrounded the house. The night air was cool on my face as I stared into the silvery darkness.

"DAMON?" I sent a surge of power into the stillness, questing, then listened with all my senses for a reply.

I felt nothing, no ripple, no response. I saw an owl soar into the night sky in flight. In town, many minds were sleeping, in the woods, the animals went about their business.

I shook my head and returned to my bed, maybe I had just dreamed the laughter, perhaps I had been wrong about the presence in the cemetery. Everything was peaceful, I tried to get some sleep, I needed sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Bella POV**

_Dear Diary,_

_I should go back to bed, but after today's events my mind just can't seem to find peace. Just a few minutes ago I woke up thinking I could hear someone laughing, but the house is quiet. _

_Well apart from Charlie's snoring, that is!_

_So many strange things have happened today that my nerves are shot to pieces, I guess?_

_At least I woke up knowing one thing though, I know exactly how I am going to handle that exotic boy. The whole thing sprang into my mind as I walked home from the cemetery, with my first real human friend I've made in a long time, Damon._

_So Plan B, begins tomorrow..._

_Night Diary...Bellax_

* * *

I awoke the next morning fully refreshed and ready to face the day. Charlie and I decided breakfast at the grill was in order and then he'd drop me at school. After yesterday's excitement, I was grateful that I did not have to walk past those cemetery gates, alone.

We entered the Mystic Grill and grabbed a window seat overlooking the street. Watching the people starting their morning rituals gave me a sense of normality and belonging.

We sat in comfortable silence until our waitress approached for our orders. "Why, hello Chief, I'm glad to see you back. Hello, Bella." The red haired waitress was smiling right at Charlie, making him squirm a little.

I rested back in my seat, this I had to see. I raised an inquiring eyebrow at Charlie who was going redder by the second.

"Mary, ahh... two coffees and we'll have the scrambled eggs and bacon," Charlie's words were rushed and slightly jumbled.

"Coming right up, Chief." She smiled warmly and turned back to get our orders.

I looked at Charlie, who was analysing the menu even though we had already ordered. Mary returned swiftly and dropped the coffees gently onto the table, and then whisked off to serve other customers. Charlie broke the silence first, but instead of answering my silent challenge, he asked me a question instead. "Last night, when you came home, you seemed a little, distracted. Where did you say you'd been after school?"

"Ummm... Downinthe...Just down by the cemetery, reading," I muttered and nursed the hot coffee in my hands, willing it to cool quicker so I could drink instead of answer.

"That's what I thought." Charlie took a deep breath. "Now, Bells, I know we only arrived yesterday, but I don't want you wandering around cemeteries alone, especially at night."

"But why not?" I asked, somewhat bewildered at his turn of concern.

"Well, because last night somebody was attacked, and they found his body this morning behind one of those old crypts."

I stared at Charlie in disbelief and clutched my coffee tighter, "Somebody was attacked? But who was it? What happened?"

"We're not exactly sure on all the details yet. One of the cemetery workers found him this morning, looks like some homeless guy, I guess that's where he'd been sleeping when he was attacked. But he was half dead by the time they brought him in, and he still hasn't regained consciousness. He could still die."

I swallowed the hot coffee, hoping the burn would ease the lump building in my throat.

"What do you mean, attacked?"

"I mean," Charlie said distinctly,"that his throat was nearly ripped out. He lost an incredible amount of blood. They thought it was an animal at first, but the doc says it was a person. And we think whoever did it may still be hiding around the cemetery." Charlie looked right into my eyes as if trying to stress the urgency of his warnings.

"So, if you were in or by the cemetery..." he sighed heavily and wiped his hand down his face, "Bells, then this person may have been there with you."

"I get the point, Dad, you don't have to scare me anymore," my voice was very faint and shaky.

"Right. Good then. Soo, that boy seemed nice, the one who walked you home?" Charlie was an expert at changing the direction of a conversation to what he really wanted to talk about.

I didn't respond.

"So, any plans tonight?" he threw out suddenly.

"No, Dad, I just have some homework and stuff, it's a school night."

"So, none of the boys at school are your type, eh?" He was trying to play cool, but he was suspicious about Damon and would never come right out and say it to me.

I was careful choosing my next words, not to overemphasize any particular words, "Nope, no one has caught my eye yet."

"Just thought maybe that boy, Damon Salvatore... you said he was friendly and helpful."

"He's just a friend, Dad."

"Okay, Okay Bells." He held his hands up in mock surrender then turned his attention to his eggs and bacon that Mary had conveniently arrived with.

After breakfast, Charlie dropped me at school in his police cruiser, and if the looks I got this morning were anything to go by, my motivation to get my own car suddenly spiked. Nothing causes the world to slow more than being dropped off by a car with red and blue lights on top.

I gave Charlie a quick one armed hug and stumbled my way into the school. After my first three classes, I was beginning to recognize several of the faces in each class. A few introduced themselves and asked me how we were settling into the town and school. I tried to be diplomatic when they asked me about Forks, but mostly I just faked a smile and lied a lot, they seemed not to notice my facade.

One girl was in all of my classes, she also tagged along with me to the cafeteria for lunch. She was about my height, but she had the most wild curly red hair. I couldn't remember her name, so I just nodded as she talked non-stop about teachers and classes we were both in.

We ended up sat at a table full of her friends who she introduced me to. There was Matt, who I recognized from English, Bonnie and James from Trig, and the other names just washed over me. They all seemed genuine in their attempts at making small talk with me.

The boy from English, Matt, started asking me about Forks and why the big move across country. It must have been the look on my face, or the way my eyes scrunched at the mention of that place, but I could see the concern in his eyes as he waited for my answer.

I was already running so many scenarios through my head, that I hadn't realised I had not replied to his question.

"So, this place is a lot different from Forks then, huh?" Matt tried again.

"Umm... very, very different." The words were tight and strained as they came out.

"I hear it rains a lot up there, hence no tan?" he wondered.

"Ahh, yeah all the time. I hated the cold, wet atmosphere, so Mystic Falls is a good move for me."

Matt studied my face apprehensively, and I sighed. It looked like I was going to have to work on my people skills and humour, they just weren't mixing.

"Sorry, I did not mean to pry, it's your business why you moved here, I am just glad you did. Maybe, we'll have some other classes together." He sounded hopeful. I smiled vaguely and started playing with my lunch.

The girl called Bonnie turns and stares right at me until I eventually lift my head and look at her, she's smiling at me in a kinda creepy yet not offensive manner. I start to examine the top of my body for some lunch I had obviously got stuck to the front of my shirt.

Finally she speaks, but not to me, "Matt what is it with the cross examination, it's only Bella's second day there's plenty of time to get the 101 of family history's, so talking of family crazy stuff my Gramp's announces over dinner last night that I am from a great line of psychics."

Suddenly, everyone at the table stopped their separate conversations and turned to look at Bonnie in utter amazement of her sudden announcement.

Bonnie continued as if her conversation, oblivious to the silence around her at the lunch table. "Well she said our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that magic kind of stuff, I know, crazy right, but she kept going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already!"

"Are you serious Bonnie," Matt chuckled as he used his hand to hide a growing smirk. "Okay, then predict something about me?"

Bonnie nodded in Matt's direction, but she was staring straight out through the lunch room, her lips parted, her eyes grew wider, then looking right at me, her eyes went vacant and I could swear I could see the color in them beginning to swirl and twist like smoke from a fire hearth. Fear suddenly swept through my stomach, just like it had last night in the cemetery.

_"Isabella... There's someone waiting for you out there?" _

My body stiffened and the blood drained from my face, those were the exact words that I had heard in the cemetery last night, just before I ran.

"Bonnie, stop it. Stop this now! It's not funny anymore." Matt tried to break into what he thought was her attempt at acting the fool, he thought the joke had gone far enough, gauging by the reaction written all over my face, he was right.

My skin was starting to prickle, that same painfully alert feeling I had in the old cemetery, I swear I could feel the chill of that wind again on my skin as my arms reacted smothering my skin in goosebumps, I looked deeper into Bonnie's eyes I could see the rows of tombstones and all around, suddenly I felt that happiness and safety had never seemed so far away.

_"There was something behind you, Isabella, something that wanted -."_

"BONNIE! That's enough of the spooky witchy stuff, you're giving me the hee bee gee bees girl." Matt's voice cut into whatever place she had taken herself too and brought her abruptly back. Bonnie broke her gaze from my eyes and turned to Matt, looking at him blankly. "What are you talking about Matt? I was just telling you about my Gramps last night."

"Bonnie," I said slowly, "did you see what was behind me? Is that what you meant when you said someone or something was waiting for me?"

Bonnie looked at me blankly. What are you talking about Bella? I said no such thing."

"Yes you did, just know you called me by my full name, Isabella and-."

"NO, I DIDN'T. I never said anything of the sort."

"Bonnie," Matt said softly, " we all sat here and heard you. You stared out over the lunch room and you put on this deep voice, and then you told Bella-"

Everyone at the table was looking right at one another and trying to work out what the hell just happened.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about Matt, and I didn't say anything with or without a weird voice." Bonnie's face was pinched with anger and her cheeks flushed pink, but also there were tears forming in her eyes as she sadly looked at me. " I don't want to talk about this any more." With that she gathered up her stuff and walked out of the lunchroom, banging the door behind her.

Matt and me looked at one another helplessly, I noticed that the sun had gone behind a large black cloud and the lunch room felt very dark and dangerous.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

BPOV

"It's time for class, and I don't like being late, so .. umm I'll catch you all later." I gathered up the remains of my lunch and books then stuffed them into my bag.

I walked in silence to my next class, the thoughts of what just happened replaying through my mind in slow motion. How could Bonnie have known the exact words I heard in the cemetery? I hadn't told a soul. Not even my galant rescuer Damon knew what had spooked me that night.

I reached my class, which was double Biology, on time. When I entered the room, I could see everyone bubbling with enthusiasm, last class of the day and then freedom. I could do this, feign enthusiasm and interest for a few more hours, but all I really wanted to do was run and not stop running till I reached the safety of my room.

I followed the rest of the class and made my way to an empty lab table near the back of the class next to the large arched windows, within seconds the seat next to me made that familiar scraping sound. Glancing up, I was met with the sculptured lips and face belonging to none other than the exotic Stefan Salvatore! Fuck my life!

In the mere seconds it took for realisation to hit him, that it was actually me sitting there, he glanced down at me, meeting my eyes with the strangest expression on his face - he was hostile and furious all in one glowering look. I quickly looked back at my textbook, angry and shocked at his reaction, dammit if my treacherous cheeks weren't flushed red again.

I didn't dare look up as he set his books on the lab table and finally took his seat next to me, but I could see his body stiffen, as he begrudgingly sat down, out of the corner of my eye. He was leaning away from me, sitting on the very edge of his chair and averting his face from my line of sight.

I let my hair fall over my right shoulder, in an attempt to put a barrier between us whilst I gathered my scattered thoughts. If I hadn't been so distracted by Bonnie's weird outburst at lunch, I would have taken more notice of the class schedules and seating. I cursed myself for my stupidity under my breath and I could have sworn I saw a slight smirk appear at the corner of those sculptured lips.

The teacher informed us that the first part of the lab was a lecture on the cellular structures of onions and the second part was going to be a surprise. That's all I needed, a surprise lesson or worse, a pop quiz. The teacher started his lecture and I took notes carefully while occasionally peeking through my hair at the exotic Salvatore boy next to me. During the whole class he never relaxed his posture, he remained fixed to the edge of his chair, as far from me as possible.

I noticed his hand laying on his thigh, clenching and unclenching, causing the tendons on his hand to stand out under his perfect skin. My eyes followed the muscles in his hands and onto his forearm which was taught and muscular beneath his light skin. My mind was trying to calculate what was wrong with him. This was probably his normal behaviour towards people who he obviously felt were beneath him. Well screw him and his snobbish attitudes. I'd had enough weirdness for one day. I sat up straight, pushed my hair back behind my ears and turned to look at him. Two can play at this game, Mr Salvatore!

He finally noticed me staring and turned to look at me, his eyes full of rage and was that revulsion I could see? I refused to shrink back from his glare and raised my eyebrow even higher in challenge to all his dark glaring. This seemed to halt his actions, and his eyes softened until he seemed almost wary of my next intentions.

As I gazed back at him, focusing on his shoulders, then the line of his jaw and finally raising my eyes to gaze directly into his, I was suddenly aware of a feeling, a feeling I had never felt before, I felt beautiful! Not of what I was or wasn't wearing, but an inner beauty, I was beautiful in myself, I felt like I was made of satin and fire. I saw his lips part slightly, reflexively, and I was drawn even deeper into his gaze.

I could hear the teacher begin to address the class, but to me it sounded like he was a thousand miles away. Stefan's eyes seemed to darken with desire and I was overcome with the feeling that he might just jerk me towards him and kiss me hard, without ever uttering a word between us.

And then it was all shattered.

"Hey Bella, I am confused, did Bonnie say psychic or psychotic at lunch earlier, I mean she wasn't being serious with all that mumbo jumbo was she? Hi Stefan."

My vision was suddenly torn and filled with the vibrant red shiny hair and skin tanned to perfection of Victoria who was leaning over the front of our lab table. Seriously, her timing could not have been better, or worse for that matter. She was wearing a very daring top that showed an incredible amount of that perfectly tanned skin of hers. She slipped her hand across the lab table and through Stefan's fingers and smiled up at him.

As I looked at the pair of them, they looked like a pair of international models, so glamorous and sophisticated. What had I been thinking!

My mind was running on automatic, that simple yet possessive hand link had told me everything in an instant. Stupid Bella! My stomach twisted as I realized what his glare had tried to convey to me, Stefan could easily see how a plain girl like me was getting absorbed by him, because he wasn't interested in me at all. He had Victoria.

Of course he wasn't interested in me, my anger was starting to rise, my eyes feeling the first sting of tears. He was mysterious...the perfect guy... and so...so... not in my league. I mumbled about the onions having a delayed effect on my eyes, just then the bell rang for end of class. I rose from my seat and grabbed my stuff and was out the door before he could even respond to my garbled excuses.

I could see Matt from the corner of my eye as I rushed past, shaking his head in disbelief, his mouth tight as I rushed away from Stefan and Victoria.

I could hear my name being called after me as I went through the door but I just rushed down the hall and through the front doors of the school. I needed to get out of there and get out now.

As I reached the main street, I was strangely calm, my mind was a simple humming blank canvas. I had left the school in a numb and slightly dazed state, but as I approached home, I could feel my anger rising in me again.

Well, this is a fine mess to be in, as my mother often would say to me. Lost in my thoughts, all sounds of everyday life slipped away. There were no other sounds at all, just my breathing and the thud of my sneakers pounding the pavement beneath me. I was alone, in this moment I was totally discarded and when the reality of that hit me, it set free my darkest fear, that I would never 'be loved' and would always be alone.

Someone was watching me, I could feel my skin prickling under the gaze of watchful eyes. I wasn't sure how I knew this, but I was sure. Someone was here watching me. The words of Bonnie floated into my mind.

There's someone waiting for you out there, Isabella. I had heard it that night in the cemetery, Bonnie had said it at school, too. And now I could feel those eyes on me again.

I lifted my head and whirled around quickly to see who was behind me, straining my eyes against the afternoon sunshine to check out every shadow. I had a feeling that if I made a sound that thing out there would get me. But I could see nothing, hear nothing but the wind in the trees and birds singing.

Below the tree on my front lawn the light was dim, menacing with shapes stretching out into the nearby woods. And at the far edge of the trees was a simple featureless fog.

Fog, I thought, on a sunny afternoon? And then I could feel every muscle tense as I listened desperately. Oh...What was that soft whispering sound? It must be my imagination... Please let this be my overactive imagination!

Suddenly, my mind cleared, I knew I had to get off the street and into the safety of the house, now. There was real danger out here, something evil, something wanted me. And I was all alone in the front yard.

I turned back towards the house. Something moved on the porch.

My screams were frozen in my throat. My muscles were frozen, too, held motionless by the terror flooding through me...and by some other nameless force too. Helplessly, I watched as the shape on the porch moved out of the shadows and towards me. It seemed as if the shadows themselves had come to life and were fusing together as I looked on, taking on form...human form, the form of a young man.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you, Bella."

The voice sounded pleasant, with a slight accent I couldn't place. It didn't sound sorry at all, in fact it sounded quite pleased with itself. He was smiling faintly at me.

I could feel the relief suddenly and completely rush my mind, it was almost painful. My shoulders slumped and I heard my breath rush from my lungs.

It was only Damon, just my ordinary friend Damon. Well... perhaps not quite ordinary. He was remarkably good looking. His face was pale in the shadows of the porch, but I could see his features were clearly defined and near perfect under that shock of dark hair. His cheek bones would be a sculptor's dream come true. I realised why he had been almost invisible to me, because he was wearing all black: soft black boots, black tight jeans, black sweater and a leather jacket.

He was still smiling at me with that crooked, dazzling smile. My fear dissipated and turned to curiosity.

"What are you doing here, Damon?"

"Why, I came to see you Bella." His voice was soft but I could still detect the amusement catching me off guard, it made me uncomfortable but in a pleasant way. "You're angry, I said I was sorry for frightening you."

"I wasn't frightened! I was just startled, which is hardly surprising with you lurking in the shadows like that," I snapped. I felt suddenly foolish in front of him, I felt like a child and that made me even angrier than before.

"Interesting things happen in the shadows, Bella...sometimes."

I could tell by his eyes that he was internally laughing at me. He took a step closer and I could see his eyes more clearly. They were unusual, almost black, but with the odd flecks of light in them. I felt that I was looking deeper and deeper into them and that soon I would fall right in and keep on falling forever.

I realised I was staring again, probably with my mouth open, I stepped back putting some space between us.

The silence between us stretched out, making me feel a little uneasy. We were just standing here, unmoving, watching each other. Why wasn't he saying anything?

"So umm, what can I do for you?" I finally replied, annoyed that I had been the one to speak first.

He raised his eyebrow in mock shock and smiled. "Well, that is a very interesting thought, but one I will take you up on another time. I was looking for somebody, and I thought, well, I hoped that that person might be you Bella? But the real reason I am here is to ask you if you are free for dinner tonight with me?"

His dark eyes were again fixed on mine, in a way that was making me feel more and more uncomfortable. I swallowed thickly and with my eyes falling to his lips, I murmured, "Oh, yes."

In one step he moved closer to me. I couldn't breathe, he was so close, close enough to touch. I could smell his faint musky cologne and the scent of his leather jacket. His eyes were holding my gaze and I found I couldn't look away from them. They were like nothing I had ever seen, they were as black as midnight. They filled my vision as he leaned down to me, bending his head slightly. I felt my eyes half close, losing focus, my head tilted back and my lips parted.

No! What am I doing? Just in time, I took a step back and opened my eyes. I had been about to let him kiss me. A total stranger, well, someone I had only met a few days ago. But that wasn't the worst thing about it, for these few minutes I had forgotten about Stefan. As soon as I thought his name his image flooded my mind, and the pain and anger were back again.

I breathed out hard and tried to keep my voice steady.

"I had better go get ready then. Did you say you were looking for someone, earlier?" My mind was still filled with moments of blankness from our encounter.

He looked at me oddly for a second, with an expression I could not understand. It was a mixture of something hot and fierce and it made me excited in a different way.

He waited until my hand had just reached for the doorknob to answer me, his voice was soft but seriously sincere, with no trace of his earlier amusement. "I've already found her... Bella."

When I turned around to respond, I could see nothing around me but the shadows of the porch.

I fumbled with the doorknob and keys, trying my best to work out what had just happened. Somehow, I had gone from disaster to dinner date in one afternoon.


	11. Chapter 11

**AUTHOR NOTES: Sorry I have been away for so long, but I am back now and that's all that matters. So I have Beta'd this Chapter myself so all mistakes and stuff are mine and mine alone. So it's dinner date time... Enjoy. Arc Morpheus**

**Chapter 11**

**Dinner Dates...**

**Salvatore Boarding House**

**BPOV**

I stumbled my way through the front door and down the hall, trying to visulise or rationalise what I had just encountered or agreed to.

I went up to my room and found myself surrounded by familiar sights and smells, only then did the world around me start to suddenly flicker back into focus. The relief of just being in my room away from all the pressures and madness of the school day, made me stop in my tracks and look around gratefully.

As the enormity of what I had just agreed to started to sink in, I realised that time was slipping away from me, how long had I just stood in my room, my eyes flick to the window and the sun was low in the sky. Soon it would be twilight, the part of the day I disliked the most. As it reminded me of him.

I took a few steps towards my window and looked out into the yard and the trees beyond, the sky was a burnt crimson and the first shards of nightfall were creeping around its edges. I noticed that the trees were a blaze of scarlet, while others were a brilliant yellow. When had autumn decided to awaken from its slumber.

I turned slowly back into the room and stared at the image of me in the full length mirror, I hardly recognized myself. Skin flushed, hair flowing down in wild curls from the wind and my eyes were big and wild, like a deer caught in headlights.

Shaking my head I headed for the bathroom, I had a dinner date to get ready for. Where in the hell does one start with that. I could hear my mother's words in my mind,;

S_houlders back head high Bella,_

_much better ..._

After an hours preening and scraping, I felt much more feminine. I applied a little makeup then looked in the mirror at the results. Well, the girl looking back at me looked like she belonged in another time or place. My throat and shoulders were bare, my tight V-necked midnight blue cashmere sweater clung to my body showing off my tiny waist. The long sleeves were slashed to show off the cream silk lining underneath, and with tight black skinny jeans finished the outfit.

The midnight blue of the top made the dark brown of my eyes heighten. As I turned away my eyes fell on the clock above the dresser. "oh, crap_ it's almost seven. Damon will be here any minute."

I grabbed my shoes and purse from the closet then made my way downstairs. Charlie must have arrived home whilst I was in the shower, as he was sitting at the dining table reading the paper and munching on a sandwich.

"Hi Dad, you're home early."

Charlie looked up at what I was wearing and his eyes changed from welcoming to suspicious. I couldn't blame him, the closest I had ever come to dressing up was my last disastrous Forks High School Dance...and the least said about that episode the better for me and Charlie.

"Your cheerful this evening," he commented peering at me over his sandwich.

I shrugged. "I am actually, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going out for dinner tonight...hope that's okay?" I didn't want or need to ask his permission_it set a precedent_but I felt rude, so I tacked it on the at the end.

"Is that right, so who you errr going with?" he asked with token interest, his eyes twinkling with unrestrained mischief.

"Ohh umm Damon Salvatore," I said quickly and quietly hoping I was not going to get an inquisition.

"Is that so," he replied with a chuckle.

I cringed at his last words, I knew where this was headed and know was not the time for the Father and Daughter talk.

"Oh yeah, you said you'd made _**friends**_ with the boy last week." He looked up. "Nice family from what I hear about town." He mused for a moment. " Why you could always ask him to dinner here some time, let me get to know him a little better."

"Dad!" I groaned. "He's just a friend who asked me to dinner, no big deal okay!"

"Okay Bells, keep your hair on." He muttered, then smiled at me apologetically. "So I guess all that's left to say is, have a great evening and remember it's a school night so eleven at the latest."

"Sure Dad, anything you say Chief!" I smiled, hoping my relief of him not interrogating me further showed through. I winked at him, he smiled his crinkly eyed smile back at me.

"That sounds like his car now," replied Charlie, glancing over my shoulder to the window. "I'll just go let the boy in."

"That's all right," I said quickly. "I'll meet him myself. Goodnight Dad, have a good evening." As I hurried for the front door, I could hear his chuckling fading.

Well here I go, I thought. As I reached the front door, I was reminded of another time, nearly eleven months ago now, when I had stepped directly into the path and life of one _Edward Cullen_. I had the same feeling of anticipation, of excitement and tension running through my veins now.

I hoped that this turns out better than that plan did, I thought darkly. For the last couple of months, I had pinned my hopes that a moment like this would come along, a moment to start a fresh and wipe away the past dark memories.

I took a deep cleansing breath and opened the front door, I stepped back with my eyes down, feeling almost shy, afraid to see Damon's face. Then I heard his sharp intake of breath, I looked up quickly and I felt my heart stutter and begin to grow cold. Cold from the fear of rejection.

He was staring at me in a kind of wonder, yes. But it was not the wondering joy I had seen this afternoon in his eyes reflecting back at me. This was something closer to shock and something else I could not place, but it disappeared so fast I hardly had time to register it.

"What's wrong, you don't like it," I whispered, horrified at the stinging beginning to build in my eyes.

Damon recovered swiftly, as always, blinking and shaking his head slowly. "No, No, it's very beautiful. I mean you are beautiful Bella."

_Then why are you standing there staring at me?_ I thought.

"You look ummm wonderful too," I said quietly. And it was true; he was sleek and handsome in a dark shirt and and trousers he had donned for the evening. He looked elegant and comfortable, as if these clothes were as natural as his usual jeans and leather jacket.

But there was also something else that sent a quick thrill of fear through me, as I looked at him, his pale face, I could not help thinking he had never looked so ...so utterly _beautiful _to me before, but his beauty was almost otherworldly. Not just that it was almost inhuman, because no human could project that depth of fear in a mere glance.

"Well we had better get going," Damon said, equally quietly and serious.

We walked to his car in silence, he was close but managed to maintain his distance without touching me, except when he opened the car door and placed his hand gently on my lower back. I shivered at his touch and goosebumps rippled under my sweater, making me blush a little.

As he closed the passenger door behind me, my senses were overwhelmed with the scent of...of Damon, but here inside his car it was much more intense, I deliberately breathed in deep breaths, flooding my mind and body with his smell. Visions engulfed me. It was bad enough when he was out of sight, but here in his car where my mind teased my consciousness. To be in such close proximity, to feel his presence near me, to smell his heady fragrance on my skin all around me, was almost more than I could bear

_How their lips would meet with equal softness at first, planting kisses here and here, until he reached the yielding hollow of her throat. How he would nuzzle there, in the place where her heart beat so strongly against her delicate skin. And how his lips would part and..._

The slamming of the drivers door pulled me out of my trance with a jerk, my pulse was beating raggedly, my body shivering. Damon started the engine and I could only hope that he had not been observing me too closely. He turned and smiled at me for a long while, then simply said in a soft voice.

"Hey, are you alright? You look upset about something?"

"Oh, uh, no, it's just for a moment there. You know what? Never mind. You're here and let's get going I am starving."

"I'm always going to be here Bella. And you're right I am hungry for a bite so let's go eat"

Pale and silent beside me Damon drove us to the boarding house, I had never been this far out of town. Wickery Bridge was white in the moonlight, and under it the cool waters swirled over ancient rocks. The whole world looked still and beautiful as they drove through the old oaks through the narrow country road.

We past fenced pastures and meadows until we reached a winding driveway. The boarding house was a vast building of rust-red brick made from the local clay, and it was flanked with age-old cedars and maples. All but one of the windows was in darkness. So this is what Damon called home, I called it a mansion!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Tales and Tears...**

**Salvatore Boarding House**

Damon unlocks one of the double doors and we step into long hallway, as I look around slowly I notice a flight of solid oak stairs to my left, the banister looks as though it was made from the same light oak as the double doors we had just entered through, so polished that it seems to glow in the soft muted light flooding from a room I had yet to see.

Damon watched me as I walked carefully along the polished oak hallway, he walked beside me without touching, except for when he placed his hand on the small of my back to guide me to the right through a magnificent carved arch into what could only be described as the biggest living room I had ever seen.

There was a large stone fireplace with a roaring, crackling wood fire which seemed to be throwing shards of light and colour all around the room, catching every surface with its movements. It was as though I had stepped back in time everything was so pristine but had an air of age about them. I could see stained wooden floors and exposed beams in the slanting ceilings. There was tall windows on either sides, and many chairs and sofas scattered amongst few pieces of massive furniture.

What a strange place, I thought. This hidden away boarding house at the edge of town, had such beauty and majesty it felt almost like this room was the heart of this house, where no sounds from the outside could penetrate. I don't know how long I had been gazing and taking in all that was around me. But my thoughts were brought back by a chuckle behind me and I realized I had stopped and was just staring at the shelves upon shelves of books that seem to line the entire wall on the other side of the room, floor to ceiling.

"So, as I was saying before I lost you there for a moment, please make yourself comfortable and help yourself to a drink, I am just going to check on how dinner is coming along."

And with that Damon silently turned shaking his head with internal laughter and left the room.

I smiled and made my way over to the open fireplace, I could feel a chill running over my body and hoped that the fire would calm my goosebumps. As I warmed my hands I could only make out vague shapes in the dim light from the fire. There was no sound at all but my own breathing and the sound of my heart beating in my ears. I was alone in this huge, beautiful dim room... But... I could sense...no I knew I was being watched, I could feel the hairs on my neck start to prickle and goosebumps re-appeared on my arm even though the heat of the fire was warming me.

I am not sure how I knew, but I was sure there was someone behind me in the dark hallway watching.

_There's someone waiting for you out there._

The words I had heard in the cemetery came flooding back into my mind. And now I was sure those same eyes I felt there were again watching me.

I whirled around quickly to face the arch that led to the hallway, straining my eyes to see into the the shadows, trying not to even breathe. I was terrified that if I made a sound that thing or whatever it was watching me would get me. But I could see nothing, hear nothing.

The hallway was too dim, menacing shapes stretching into nothingness. And at the base of the staircase it seemed a simply featureless grey fog was stretching across the floor. What the hell was mist doing on the floor, I thought and then I could feel every muscle agonisingly start to tense as I tried to see into the darkness. Oh God, what was that soft whispering sound? It must be my imagination... Please let it be my imagination.

Suddenly my mind cleared. I had to get out of this place, _now. _I could sense I was in real danger here, not just fantasy as I had thought in the cemetery. Something was out there, something evil, something wanted me. And I was alone in this room until Damon returned. Oh my god Damon...what if ... But then!

Something moved in the shadows at the bottom of the staircase.

The scream I was about to unleash froze in my throat. My muscles were too frozen, too, motionless by my fear - and what felt by some nameless force. Helplessly, I watched as the shape in the darkness moved silently out of the shadows and towards me. It seemed like the darkness itself had come to life before my very eyes, it was coalescing, taking form before my very eyes.

"Forgive me, I'm sorry if I frightened you."

The voice was kind, with a slight accent I couldn't place. But it sounded no where near sorry for it's actions.

"You must be Isabella, I am Stefan, Damon's brother."

Relief was so sudden and complete it felt painful as I slumped and heard the breath I must have been holding sigh out.

"I know who you are, but Damon never mentioned to me he had a brother living here with him?" I said flatly, accusingly.

"You're angry," Stefan said gravely. I said I was sorry for frightening you Isabella."

"I wasn't frightened!" I snapped, I suddenly felt foolish in front of him, like a child being humoured by someone much older and more knowledgeable. It made me even angrier.

"I was just startled, for a moment. Hardly surprising with you lurking in the shadows like that. Is that something you aspire too, Stefan?"

"Interesting things can happen in the shadows... Sometimes Isabella. But back to your question, well Damons not one to brag over his family. Please, come, sit with me. I am sure Damon will be along any second." He waved his hand to the sofa and proceeded to sit.

"So, nice house and living room you have here." I said with the coldest voice I could manage.

"Living room... well parlor to me. I see why my brother has been so smitten with you Isabella. It's about time he started dating again been an age, for a while I thought he would never date again. As the last one nearly destroyed him."

I looked at the way he had casually risen and poured himself a large whiskey from the crystal decanter and was now standing at the back of the sofa, looking at me from behind. I could feel his gaze burning into the back of my neck.

"The last one?" I enquired as nonchalance as I could muster under his gaze.

"Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet." I could just imagine the smirk on his perfect face as he spoke.

"Nope!"

"Well, I'm sure it'll come up now. Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because you would think he was on the rebound. We all know how those kind of relationships end."

He was still gazing at me as he moved to the stand in front of the fireplace, with the brightness of the fire his eyes seemed darker, more menacing in a way in made me more and more uncomfortable. I swallowed. My cheeks and throat were flushing, burning with blood. I began to feel light headed. If only he'd stop looking at me that way...

"You say that like every relationship is doomed to end. Not a very healthy outlook on life."

With his eyes fixed on my lips, he murmured, " Oh, yes... I am a fatalist, dearest Isabella. Oh hello Damon didn't see you come in I was so enthralled in conversation with the delightful Isabella."

As I turned my head breaking the spell I felt I was under with Stefan, I looked at Damon in the Arch way. For a moment, pure fury surged into his eyes, a dark wave on menace. Then they went calm and cold and he smiled at me, a brilliant smile that he turned off again instantly as he spoke to Stefan.

"I didn't know you would be at home this evening, Brother?"

"Oh, I am just on my way out _Brother_, I shall leave you and the lovely Isabella to enjoy each others... Well I should be going." With that he slugged back his whiskey and gracefully walked past me towards Damon. He stopped and placed his glass on a small table to the left of the archway, he half turned and smiled. By the light from the fire his dark blonde hair looked like liquid, too soft and fine for human hair. His face was very pale, but at the same time utterly compelling. And then his eyes caught mine and held them.

"Make sure he doesn't break out the family photo albums or worse home movies. But... I warn you Isabella, he wasn't always the looker he is today."

"Goodnight Stefan." Damon's voice was cold and controlled.

"Yeah, I should get going. It was a pleasure to speak to you at last Isabella, Damon." with that he turned to leave the room. But Damon was blocking his way staring at Stefan, as the two of them shared a silent pause, I realised how utterly alike the brothers were, their faces pale in the artificial firelight, but their features were clearly defined and nearly perfect under their hair. There cheekbones were a sculptor's dream. And then I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time, a stirring deep inside my mind a place I had locked away and never wanted to open. Then the one word I had not thought of or uttered in months flooded my mind.

_Edward!_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Edward...**

**EPOV**

In the thick bushes and trees that lined the outside of the Salvatore Boarding house, hidden amongst the shadows. Edward clutched his hand against the trunk of an old oak, he did not notice how his fingers were slicing through it's bark as easy as a tigers claw through the flesh of its prey.

Only moments ago he had circled the house and grounds and seen Damon talking to his brother in the archway of the parlor. Before he could move in, a woman had moved into view but had her back turned to him but was standing facing the brothers.

_I can only hear two minds, yet there is three of them in the house. Three people but only one heartbeat._

He thought it strange that the Salvatores had taken to having _human_ contact again. I mean it didn't work out well for either of our families the last time they crossed paths with the human race. What has changed, he pondered.

He was huddled in the shadows still , so he inched closer to the glass doors, so he could try and hear what the women was saying if anything. He felt a sudden eagerness to hear her voice and a wave of envy was beginning to build in his mind and he could not fathom where it had sprung from. He pushed this aside and listened.

**BPOV**

Inside the room, Bella could sense Damons bewilderment at her sudden change in demeanor. Both brothers had turned to look at her and for one moment she felt like the proverbial 'deer in the headlights'.

"_Edward..._..." the word slipped across her lips so softly and reverently she hadn't even realised she had uttered it out loud, until she saw the expressions on the Salvatores faces freeze.

Damons balance seemed to falter for a split second. "Did you say something Bella?" Damon spoke very slowly, eyeing Isabella closely.

Bella just nodded seeing confusion and also shock in his dark eyes.

"Ummm...Could I use your bathroom?"

Damon nodded, glanced at Stefan then proceeded to point into the hallway, " Of course Bella, it's the second doorway on the left."

Forcing her body to respond Bella placed one foot after the other and walked into the hallway, down the hall and once inside the bathroom, She slipped the lock and let out breath she had been holding in since his name had flooded her mind. Splashing cold water onto her already reddened cheeks to try and regain some control, She stared at her reflection in the mirror and tried to work out what she was going to do next.

**EPOV**

The wind outside the boarding house had picked up and Edwards shirt danced in the breeze as he crouched near the window. Although he had not been able to hear the mind of the women, the word _Edward _had sifted through the glass and into his mind like a searing rod of lightning.

_Bella was inside._

Bellas last words were still fresh in his memorys from their disastrous parting.

_I am going away Edward, and I don't want you to follow me. _

_You ...don't ...want... me anymore Bella..._

_I have to stop this whilst I have the strength, I need to be human. It's the only way I can protect what's left of me and my family._

_Goodbye Edward._

I never thought she would have the strength to walk away, to leave behind everything she had ever known. But, as always Bella surprised me and did just that. That day she walked away and never spoke or contacted me again.

My attention is pulled back to the room as Bella had left the room, the Salvatores had adjourned suddenly to another room, I saw my chance. Feeling like a panther stalking prey, I crept to the glass doors. Finding them unlocked, I slipped inside and closed the doors silently behind me. I could hear muffled voices coming from the another room. I inched my way into the hallway and up the stairs to the balustrade that looked down into the room and stepped back into the shadows, and waited.

**BPOV**

As I watched the water droplets drip from my face into the basin below, I realised that I had been in here far too long. The quick freshen up had left me looking reasonably refreshed presentable but it did nothing to ease the anxiety that was beginning to creep into my body.

The image of Damon and Stefan beside the fireplace, the sudden onslaught of emotions conjured by Edward' name flooding into my consciousness was just too much for me to figure out. I could help but succumb to the to the deep sense of loss at the memory of Renee's death. Again the image of my mothers mangled body flashed into my mind. I raised my eyes to look at myself in the mirror, forcing the images from my mind. This was not the time or place to open those wounds.

Outside the door, I could hear the soft sounds of classical music floating through the air. Clair De Lune... As I walked back to the parlour, stopping in the archway to survey the room and Damon sipping a large whiskey from an exquisite crystal tumblr.

"Clair De Lune... One of my mother's favourite pieces." my voice was barely above a whisper.

Damon turned and smiled, "What a fortunate coincidence, mine too."

I was feeling anything but fortunate, and coincidence was a concept I did not entirely trust. As someone who had spent my previous years explaining away unusual coincidences, I now viewed the world as a web of intertwined moments and events. The connections may not always be visible, but they are always there, usually buried beneath the surface. One just had to know where to start digging.

Damon was looking at me with his head cocked, as if making mental notes of that fact. Saying nothing, he stared dead ahead into my eyes, as if to beg me to come closer.

As his eyes ascended over my face, I tried to focus on anything but the strong pull I could feel inside me, willing me to close the space between us. My eyes focused on a small silver crucifix embedded with rubies. I found it vaguely comforting in a surprising way, in this house full of dark shadows and darker company that this small but significant cross filled me with hope that somewhere in this place there was a corner filled with hope.

"It was my mother's..." Damon suddenly said.

Startled, I glanced back to find Damon's eyes on the crucifix, his eyes were pooled with a deep sadness suddenly reflected in them. I stepped quickly towards him, eager for the space between us to be closed.

Damon glanced back over to meet my eyes, The silent moment into which we had just stepped, however, was nothing like I had expected.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

**EPOV**

From his sanctuary in the shadows, he could see and hear everything from below in the parlour. As he watched Damon and Bella from above, he felt like a dark angel about to descend upon them and reclaim what was rightfully his. But he knew that that would serve no purpose as Bellas heart was her own to give, to whomever she wished, unlike his unbeating excuse for a heart...

Edward was feeling an aroused anticipation that he had not felt since before Bella had left, and before that he had not felt it since his previous human life. It both surprised and electrified him. For the last few months, he had been drifting without purpose, trying to cleanse his heart and soul of the sins he felt he had wounded Bella with. But to no avail...as much as he tried to rebuild his life...erasing the horror and violence of his past. Tonight, however, it had all coming flooding back. The hatred he had fought so hard to bury had been summoned by his inner demons. He had been startled how quickly it resurfaced. And with it, of course, had come the barbarous turmoil of emotions.

_**Carlisle message was one of peace...of non violence...of love.**_

This was the message that he carried in his heart from his creator, what he had been taught at the beginning. And yet _**this**_ was the message that Damon Salvatore now threaten to destroy.

Running his hands through his hair as if to drag those thoughts from his mind with physical force, he raised the hood over his head and allowed his red eyes to admire the image of Bella reflected in his mind.

**BPOV **

As she stood gazing into Damon's eyes, a chill rose through her flesh, she felt an unexpected apprehension.

_**Women's intuition?**_

Bella had learned to find peace in the calming voices of her own soul. Tonight, however, those voices were as silent as the empty air surrounding them.

"It's beautiful..." As Bella spoke the words, a warm smile crossed Damon's lips for the first time all night.

"As are you my dear Bella..." Damon said quietly.

Bella leaned against the back of the sofa wearily, whether it was the wine or the atmosphere something was shifting between them and she needed to know more.

Damon looked at her for a moment in surprise. Something must have shown on her face, for his expression gradually stilled and darkened. He took a deep breath and nodded towards the sofa. Without a word, he turned and led the way.

For some reason, she thought back to the very first time she had met Damon, when he had walked her home after her scare in the cemetery. When he had saved her from whatever had been lurking or chasing her.

Her eyes ran over the objects in the room as she sat down. Damon was sitting on the other end of the sofa, keeping a respectable distance between them, as if trying to give her room to clear her thoughts.

"Well," he said quietly, "what would you like to talk about?"

There was one last moment of choice, then Bella committed herself. She stretched out her hand and placed it on Damon's that was languishing on the back of the sofa.

"About this...us?" she said.

Then, suddenly Bella found herself speaking quickly. She told him about her diary she kept and the reason for her and Charlie moving to Mystic Falls. She told him about her weird dreams and the strange crow that kept reappearing, she told him everything about the night in the cemetery and why she had been so spooked by what was there. She told him of her fear of him and his brother getting hurt from association with her. Her voice almost gave out in the end. "I've been so frightened since then," she whispered, her eyes still fixed on their adjoining hands.

"Scared of shadows and birds, scared of what is going to happen next. I'm sorry..." At last she stopped rambling and looked up at his face.

"You should be!" he said, startling her with his vehemence. She felt the blood drain from her face. But Damon continued. "You should be sorry for keeping something like that from me Bella, when I could have helped you. Bella, why didn't you _**tell**_ me?"

"Because, somehow I know it is all my fault, I am a trouble magnet, I have seen this..." She tried to describe how she had seen this kind of occurrences before back in Forks. But the more she tried to verbalise it the more she realised that Damon would think that she had completely lost the plot.

Damon's expression as he looked at her was a combination of relief and wonder. "So that's it," he said, almost in a whisper to himself. "That's what has been bothering you all this time."

Bella opened her mouth, but he was still speaking. "I knew something was wrong, I knew you were holding something back. But I thought. . ." He shook his head a dark smile tugged his lips. "It doesn't matter now. So all this time you were worried about protecting _**me."**_

Bella's tongue was now stuck to the roof of her mouth. Her words were stuck too. There's more, she thought, but she couldn't say it, not out loud, not when Damon was looking at her that way.

He shook his head slowly. "Bella," he said, and then she was in his arms.

It felt so good to be there, so right. She hadn't even realised how wrong things were in her life until now, how lonely and closed off to her feelings she had become. The feelings of sweetness and tenderness surging between them. She was safe, she felt calmness washing over her.

Everything else was forgotten.

**EPOV**

Eyeing the scene below him with a slight, wicked smile. Edward, was battling the inner turmoil to fly down there and rip Damon's hands from caressing Bella's arms as he held her in his embrace. The bareness of her neck and the way the midnight blue sweater was making her skin glow. Bare neck to a vampire - as he had told her - was like waving a red cloak in front of a raging bull. Reading Damon's mind I could hear his thoughts swirling around the promises he made not to influence her - not to use his telepathic powers to manipulate her mind. But he was awfully close to crossing that line once Bella was touching him.

Edward held his breath as Bellas scent began to permeate the air around him. Yes, this was all Damon's fault, Edward thought. She can't have feelings for him that were - well, that were anything other sisterly. But he could see Damon's walls blurring, dissolving in his mind, beginning to crumble and just for a second Edward caught a glimpse of why he was so interested in Bella Swan.

How could he have never noticed the aura around Bella, he had always put it down to the fact she was his mate, his singer. And now Damon had discovered it too. He had to stop this before it ended in bloodshed again, he was too late to save Renee but he would not fail Bella. Not again.

**BPOV**

Time had stopped. Bella found that as she was instinctively losing herself in Damon's embrace She had never really appreciated the warmth and security of laying in the arms of a friend. Self-consciously, Bella felt the barriers in her mind start to expand, and met the thoughts of other minds at once. To her surprise one recoiled but the other mind was open and flowing at such a rate that the images it was sharing were almost too fast to process in her human mind.

Bella was shocked. Whatever she was feeling and seeing in her mind, she knew that it had to be coming from Damon, but, the other mind...who was here with them. Stefan had left for the evening which meant they they were alone...or were they. The images in her mind were symbols of the minds around her, was she seeing someones soul?

Instinctively, she knew what she was seeing was something beyond her comprehension, she needed time for her own mind to understand and interpret, to look at it from the right perspective.

And then suddenly Bellas thoughts were scattered - by sounds, by energies that Bella had felt in the cemetery, waves of power had been kindled by the memory of a single image in her mind.

Her and Edward saying goodbye.

In the few moments of allowing her mind to be freed of its secrets - she had _**forgotten**_ him - she had allowed herself to be drawn into something that meant forgetting her past. The anguish of all those lonely moths, sitting and pouring her grief and fears into her diary - and then the peace and comfort that Damon offered actually made her _**forget Edward.**_

And now, her concerns started growing and it drove her to try and speak out.

"No, no!" Bella was struggling with finding the right words to to justify her change in demeanor. "Let go - I have to..."

"Bella?" Damon's voice was calm and gentle - or at least unemotional. "What's wrong?"

Bella opened her eyes, all the memories and thoughts began to scatter like leaves in an autumn wind in every direction. She looked at Damon accusingly.

"You - you!"

"Yes," Damon said composedly. His voice was light, as Bella had a sudden inner vision of Damon - Giver of dreams and pleasures that stays in the minds of his. . . prey . . . Bella could see the women and girls that Damon. . . preyed on . . .

"I understand now," Bella said to him as she pulled out of his embrace. "You're a Vampire!"

Damon smiled and opened his mouth, but just then there was the sound of a voice that was furious and accusing as Bella had been, and which didn't care about consequences. Bella remembered the other mind she had felt in the house, the one she had forgotten.

"**DAMON, YOU BASTARD, GET AWAY FROM ISABELLA."**

Edward.


End file.
